Waltz of the Flowers
by Amasia
Summary: Winter has swept into Kyoto, and life at the Aoiya progresses as usual. But what happens when Misao finds a familiar face huddled in the snow? [SouMi]
1. A Day in Winter

_I like to think of this story as a Christmas present to myself. My goal is to finish it before December 25, so please bare with me if the chapters seem a little short, as my focus is just to get them done. Please enjoy! Reviews are much appreciated!_

_This story takes place after the end of manga. I have a feeling it will be a challenge writing a Misao that has matured slightly from a hyper teen into a young woman._

_This will be a Misao x Soujiro pairing._

_And just so you know, I consider this a love story more than anything. I don't usually do heavy romance (heck, I hardly write romance at all. this story was spur of the moment!), so you can expect fluff, but please don't ask me for limes, lemons and the such. The answer will be no…_

_**Disclaimer: **Rurouni Kenshin and its characters are property of Nobuhiro Watsuki._

* * *

**Chapter One**

**----- A Day in Winter**

Every day was the same routine. Misao woke up, ate breakfast, bathed and dressed, and then took her daily trip out to deliver Aoshi his tea. Today was no different, and she sprinted up the aged steps of the shrine with a steaming cup of green tea nestled in her hands, the warm porcelain soothing against her chilled fingers.

It had started snowing the night before, and still it had persisted into the morning, coating everything in a gentle white. Misao was having some trouble balancing the umbrella over her shoulder, at the same time trying to keep the precious tea from spilling. Omasu had always warned her about filling the cup to the rim…

"Aoshi-sama! I'm here!" she announced, closing the door behind her to keep out the offending cold. "I brought your tea. Enjoy, because it's the last cup until I can get into town today!"

She kneeled down to set the cup carefully before him, her hair falling over her shoulders as she did so. It had been quite a while since she had cut off the braid that had characterized her for so long, and still she could not adjust to the shorter length. Pushing the bothersome strands behind her ears, she smiled and bounced back to her feet.

"It's snowing again," she paused thoughtfully, biting her lip. "I really didn't want to have to go out in such terrible weather, but Omasu made me promise that I would help her with dinner tonight… and we can't do that without food!"

The man hadn't moved an inch since she had started talking, but he had opened his eyes and was focused on her as she babbled on about things that didn't really matter. It always made her feel better to attempt conversation. The quiet of the shrine was almost oppressive at times, and Misao was naturally a social person.

"At any rate… I can't stay today, Aoshi-sama. I really should get this over with before it starts to get too cold, you know?" She made a wild motion with her hands towards the frosted window in the corner, everything beyond it stark white. "I promise that I'll make up for it later on today!"

It seemed that there was nothing further to be said between the pair. Offering a quick wave, Misao made to turn around and leave, but a deep voice stopped her before she could reach the door.

"Misao…" The man's head dropped and his eyes slid closed again. "Thank you."

She beamed. "Goodbye, Aoshi-sama!"

The atmosphere always seemed so much quieter when it snowed. Misao smiled to herself and began to hum softly, filling the silence with song as she twirled the gathered flakes from her umbrella. Perhaps winter wasn't her favorite season, but it wasn't her least favorite, either. There was something tranquil about it. Calming.

It reminded her of Aoshi.

Unfortunately, the weather had also demanded a change of wardrobe. In an effort to keep warm, Misao had long since abandoned her usual training outfits for simple gis and hakamas of varying colors. That day in particular, she had chosen to adorn the same clothes she had to Mount Ueno earlier that year.

She was quite a contrast against the white landscape, clad in pinks and soft reds. It was always nice to add a splash of vibrant color to a season that was usually so grayscale.

As a matter of fact, the last time she had worn that outfit was also the last time she had visited her Tokyo friends. Kenshin and Kaoru seemed to have been doing fine, even raising a son that had a knack for getting into trouble. Yahiko and Tsubame also seemed to be getting along well.

'_I hope I get an invitation to their wedding soon!'_ she thought with a giggle.

Nonetheless, she realized how long it had been since that time. She and Kaoru had been exchanging frequent letters, of course, but there wasn't always the opportunity to visit. She missed seeing them all in person… Things grew pretty dull at the Aoiya whilst thinking about the friendly group back at the Kamiya Dojo, always so full of life and energy.

It wasn't that she didn't appreciate her life in Kyoto. She had Okon, Omasu, Shiro, Kuro, and Okina… They were her family. Even Aoshi was beginning to show his face around the Aoiya more often. Finally, after a long period of awkward acceptance, the group was warming up to each other again, and Misao sometimes found herself happy to the point of tears. She wouldn't trade that feeling for anything in the world.

The point was that it was just nice to get away every once in a while… to do something new. She was tired of the same every day routine that had somehow started to take control of her life.

"Misao-chan!" A woman passing her on the street jarred her from her thoughts.

Misao grinned, clasping her small hands to the young woman's own. "Aiko-chan! What is it?"

Aiko was a cousin of Sae that had recently started work at the Shirobeko. The waitress had always seemed particularly happy for Misao's regular visits, and the ninja often found herself an outlet for the latest gossip. She didn't mind; it was always nice to know the rumors going about town these days.

"Oh, it's nothing. It's just…" Aiko pulled a small box from the bag strapped to her shoulder, looking bashful. "It's just… I was supposed to bring this to Sae today and…"

"…And you would much rather be at your boyfriend's place," Misao finished, snickering lightly.

"Please, Misao-chan!" The young brunette began to blush furiously, slapping her hand over Misao's mouth. "The way you say it makes it sound so scandalous!"

Slightly exasperated, Misao shoved the hand away and sighed. "Don't get yourself all up in a knot! I'll take the box up to the Shirobeko for you… It's on my way, anyhow." She held out her hand. "What is it that I'm taking?"

Aiko smiled gratefully, lifting the lid of the small box and shaking it to rattle the glass bottles inside. "They're just a few spices that we've been running low on lately." Reclosing it, she set the package in the shorter woman's outstretched hand. "Thank you so much! I'll repay you for it somehow, Misao-chan!"

"Heh. Give your_ lovely_ man my regards!" She teased in response, poking the other in the side.

Blushing again, Aiko nodded. "And what about you, Misao-chan? Isn't it time you started looking for a husband, as well? I mean…" She fidgeted slightly. "Shinomori-san…"

"Eh! Wha-- As if I'm looking!" Misao puffed herself up proudly. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm perfectly fine without some husband to look after me! Aoshi-sama will always be the only one, and I don't mind waiting until he comes around."

Her companion smiled uneasily, overlooking the hidden lack of firmness in Misao's voice. "I suppose you're right." She dipped into a polite bow before starting on her way. "Goodbye for now, Misao-chan!"

"See you later!"

Once Aiko had rounded the corner and disappeared from sight, Misao was left staring blankly at the box in her hand. It wasn't that the woman's words had struck a chord or anything… Of course not. The depressing weather was simply starting to get to her… That must be why she felt so sad all of a sudden.

This weather that reminded her of Aoshi…

But she had said that she liked winter, hadn't she?

Misao had asked Aoshi what he thought of it once. It was one of the few conversations she had managed to coax him into during a visit to the shrine, an accomplishment all in itself. He had explained to her that winter was a time of death. The trees withered away and went into a very long sleep, leaving the landscapes bare and ugly. Any foliage that remained was already brown and rotting, waiting to dissolve and again become part of the earth.

He hated autumn the most, the time when all the leaves began to die… Hated it because the air always smelled of decay. Misao herself had never noticed; she had always believed it to be a beautiful season of changing colors.

And winter? She had never associated it with death. Instead, she pictured it as a hibernation of sorts, lasting until spring when the world would be reborn again. Perhaps even she herself was relieved when spring blossomed in Kyoto, a time of warmer temperatures and new beginnings.

'_Yes. New beginnings… Just like when you returned to us again, Aoshi-sama.'_ Misao wondered if Aoshi saw it that way, as well. Or perhaps the past still haunted him as it had for all of these many years.

Would he ever be able to let it go?

Before she knew it, Misao was standing at the entrance to the Shirobeko, already feeling the warmth emanating from the doorway. Her presence was immediately acknowledged by Sae, who smiled and waved her in, chattering excitedly about the "fretful" weather. She was such a kind woman; Misao could not remember ever having qualms with the friendly restaurant owner. It was a shame they did not know each other better than they did.

Another young waitress, a girl Misao recognized but did not know, nodded politely in her direction before disappearing through the doors to the kitchen with dishes of half-eaten soup and empty mugs. It was a comforting scene to come into, especially after battling the freezing snow.

"Delivery!" Misao announced cheerfully and prepared to set the box on the nearest table.

She stopped. Something felt strange… Maybe she was just imagining things, but…

Steadying the cover with her left hand, she flipped the box over and found a small piece of paper tacked to the bottom. The handwriting was neat and curled, adorned with little hearts here and there, only confirming Misao's original suspicion.

_Thanks again, Misao-chan! I knew you'd be so kind as to deliver this for me! See you in a little bit!_

_Love, Aiko-chan_

Misao deadpanned.

"… She was _planning_ this?"

* * *

_For those of you wondering, Soujiro will be coming in soon, I promise!_

_Until next time…_


	2. New Year's Resolution

_Thanks for the encouragement everyone, it means a lot. :D_

_I did mean to get this chapter out a lot sooner, but school delayed me a bit. Hopefully there will be less time between each one now that I have vacation coming up!_

_Just a few general concerns: _

_-- I do know that my paragraphs are short sometimes… I do this in an attempt to keep myself from rambling. Regrettably, it doesn't always work. I'm silly like that.  
_

_-- And also, I totally didn't realize that I had the anonymous reviews disabled! Haha! Thanks for having that pointed out… Sorry for the inconvenience. I'm such an airhead. xD  
_

_Anyway, that's enough of me. Seriously._

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**----- New Year's Resolution**

Misao should have known that Sae was up to something. She kept engaging the ninja in conversation, almost as if trying to keep her from the door. Every time Misao suggested that she ought to be on her way, the restaurant owner would laugh it off and remark that _no one_ should be out in such terrible weather. It finally came to a point where she had convinced Misao to stay for at least a cup of tea, and what could she do? Refuse? It hardly seemed polite.

It went without saying that she was surprised when Okon and Omasu appeared at the door, one with a fine bottle of wine and the other balancing a few gifts in her arms. Their faces were flushed red from the cold, but they looked extremely pleased about something, and Omasu grinned widely when she spotted Misao gaping at them, a cup of tea halfway to her lips. Okon set the wine on the table with a soft thud and hurried over with her arms spread, and before she knew it, Misao found herself engulfed in a warm embrace.

"Happy New Year's Eve, Misao! Aren't you excited?" Omasu cried from the other side of the room, still fumbling with the brightly colored gifts in her arms. "We've secretly been planning this for a while!"

Sae laughed at the woman's antics and moved over to help, and together the two managed to set the pile on a table just as Aiko and a young man walked into the room. The waitress muttered something about preparing the food and soon rushed into the kitchen, gone no sooner than she had appeared.

Okon pulled away, giving Misao a playful nudge. "You forgot, didn't you?"

Misao glared indignantly. "No…! I just…"

"How could you have forgotten such an important holiday!" Omasu tottered over, wrapping Misao in a hug of her own. "Oh, Misao-chan! It's going to be so much fun! Shiro and Kuro are going to be over later, and guess what? Kenshin and Kaoru may be coming, too!"

"And don't worry," Okon added with a wink. "We've managed to convince Aoshi to drag himself away from the shrine for a little while, at least."

The two women were nearly bursting at the seams with excitement. Omasu kept flitting around gaily, adjusting anything she could find as she helped clean the place up for the bash. Sae stood and watched her with some amusement, brewing enough tea for their incoming guests and checking up every once in a while on her two waitresses. She had closed down the restaurant once the last of her customers for the morning had left, and all that was left to do was prepare the lunch and wait for arrivals.

Misao had her hands full trying to keep up with Omasu, a damp rag clutched in her hand as she wiped down tables. She didn't really see the point of it; in such weather, there hadn't been many customers that morning to begin with, and the most they had left behind were a few crumbs or a stray drop of tea.

"You see Misao," Omasu began, holding up her right index finger. "First, we'll start off with lunch. It won't be very big, you see, as we won't want to fill everyone up before dinner. Dinner is going to be the big event of the night, and boy do we have a feast prepared!"

"So, when you said that I had to help you with dinner…" Misao began slowly, almost hopefully. "You were kidding?"

The other woman began to laugh. "Actually, no! I hope you enjoy peeling potatoes!"

From somewhere nearby, Okon snickered, and before she knew what she was doing, Misao had chucked the dirty rag at her older friend. This was shortly followed by a cry of dismay and a stream of protests, partially muffled by the wet strip of cloth that had obviously met its target. Omasu could only look on in some detached state of horror before bursting into a fit of hysteria, pointing, laughing, and eventually earning her due when the rag came flying at her head.

"Oh, dear…" Sae tilted her head, bringing one hand up to her mouth. "I do hope they don't break anything."

Spirits were high. It seemed that Misao had found just the cheering up she needed, and when Shiro and Kuro arrived with handfuls of decorations, the three women cried out in unison and immediately began to plan their placement. Soon the Shirobeko was transformed with strips of colorful paper, elegant candles, and an elaborate dragon that stared at them from the corner of the room.

Okon stood back to admire their work. "Looks good, girls!"

Misao, balancing on Kuro's shoulders to hang something from the ceiling, nodded distractedly. "Definitely! Do you know when everyone is supposed to get here? I can't-- Wah!"

Kuro swung around suddenly, nearly sending the small woman toppling to the ground. "Here's someone!"

The familiar redhead laughed softly as Misao struggled awkwardly to regain balance, only to slip humorously from the large man's back. Despite her embarrassment, Misao noted that it was nice to see that Kenshin was doing well. She had been worried that he would get himself into more trouble, but it seemed that things had calmed down considerably since Enishi's Jinchuu had come to a close. The ex-rurouni was settling into family life just fine.

Speaking of which, the appearance of Kenshin was immediately followed by a young boy who shot into the restaurant like lightning, gawking openly at the strange atmosphere and uttering an awed "wow!" every now and then. It wasn't long before he was distracted by the faux dragon, and soon took to finding a way onto its head, much to Kenshin's dismay.

Kaoru was the next to show up, trailing after her son with a stern look on her face. Her countenance changed completely when she spotted Misao, and her blue eyes lit up with warmth when she smiled. She hadn't changed much since their last meeting, but Misao could sense her blossoming maturity, even now. There was something about having a child that changed a woman in that way. It almost made her envious, to see Kaoru so settled and happy, a mother and wife.

Perhaps someday she would be able to have that, as well.

"Misao-chan!"

"Kaoru-chan!" Misao righted herself and sprinted over, nearly tackling her dearly-missed friend to the ground. "How have you been? It feels like _ages_ since I last saw you in person!"

"Things have been well." Kaoru rested her hand on Misao's shoulder when they pulled apart. "Yahiko and Tsubame are sorry that they couldn't make it today. I just thought I'd let you know."

"Is that so?" The shorter girl arched an eyebrow curiously.

"Mm. Yahiko decided to take care of classes at the dojo, and you should know that things are bustling at the Akabeko this time of year. I'm actually surprised that Sae agreed to close today."

The aforementioned laughed offhandedly. "Don't be silly! I can afford a break every once and a while!"

The group eventually settled into light conversation, discussing any noteworthy events that had taken place since their last meeting. Misao couldn't say that she had anything interesting to say herself; after all, following their last adventure, she was almost glad to have a period of quiet. Things were just the way she wanted them to be, and a part of her was afraid that if something were to happen, everything that she had worked so hard for would be ruined. What if Aoshi were to leave them again?

The thought of him turning against them had already been horrible enough, especially after what had happened to Okina. She had promised herself then that she would protect them, even if that meant fighting the person she cared about most.

But that was the past.

After they had all eaten lunch, the atmosphere was content. Shiro and Kuro had engaged themselves in a board game and were sitting off to the side. Sae and her two waitresses, with the help of the man that had accompanied Aiko, were taking care of the soiled dishes. Okina, who had arrived a short while after Kenshin and Kaoru, was conversing with Okon and Omasu. That left Misao, Kenshin, and Kaoru, who were currently enjoying the fire Sae had lit before she had served their food. Aoshi was still nowhere to be found.

"Uh," Misao stood up suddenly. "I forgot something back at the Aoiya. Does anyone need anything while I'm out?"

Kaoru seemed worried for a moment, but the look disappeared in her smile. "No, I don't think so… but be careful out there, Misao-chan. It's quite a trip if you aren't dressed warmly enough. I would know, having come all the way from Tokyo."

She smiled back. "I'll be fine."

Misao was actually hoping that she could coax Aoshi to join them before dinner, but she wouldn't tell them that. Kaoru had mulled on enough about her love life already, and the ninja grew tired of all the hints thrown her way by so many different people. She could deal with herself just fine. She didn't need her friends trying to set her up with some stranger, and she was afraid that it was growing to the point where they were just that desperate.

'_Agh! Kaoru wasn't kidding about it being cold…'_

She trudged on nevertheless, determined to complete her goal before she succumbed to frostbite. The nerve of that man! The least he could do was come early to greet his friends! If it weren't for her, he'd probably shut himself up in that shrine all day, and that couldn't possibly be healthy.

"Well…" Misao muttered to herself, rubbing her arms. "What I said doesn't have to be a complete lie… Maybe I can grab a warmer cloak while I'm there…"

A particularly strong breeze rushed by, and as Misao shut her eyes against the stinging wind, she felt something bump up against her leg. In one startled movement, she tripped over whatever it was that had obstructed her path, and found herself face first in the freezing snow. The sudden cold was a shock, and she lay stunned for a moment before she could regain her senses, fingers numb and legs tingling. Muttering a few curses through chattering teeth, she twisted around to glare at her offender.

The green eyes of a stray cat blinked back at her. Misao usually would have left it be, but something quickly caught her interest. Clamped between the feline's jaws was…

Her change purse!

"What the--! Stupid cat, give me my money!" She made a lunge for the agile creature, and soon found herself eating more snow. "I won't let you get away, thief!"

The cat didn't seem very interested in her rantings, and shot off down a nearby alley, disappearing quickly from sight. Fully aware that her clothes were slowly becoming soaked, Misao started valiantly after it, brushing off the white powder as she sprinted to her best efforts. Unfortunately, she kept slipping over patches of ice and soon found herself lagging behind.

"This is definitely not my element!" She cursed as she rounded a particularly sharp corner enveloped with ice. "Why me?"

And there it was. She had spotted the cat atop a discarded box, and realized almost at once that it was no longer in possession of her missing pouch. Pulling at her hair, she vented her frustrations noisily and rolled up a ball of snow, chucking it at the cat and laughing bitterly when it mewed in protest and skittered away. There was nothing left to do but start searching the ground, and she realized with dismay that her pouch could be _anywhere_.

Anywhere within three blocks.

"I officially hate cats," she growled, clenching her fist and knocking herself on the head. "If I had watched where I was going, this never would have happened…"

Sighing heavily, Misao reluctantly began her search, thankful that at least it had stopped snowing. If her pouch was lying on the ground somewhere, she would have never been able to find it otherwise. It was a good thing that she didn't carry all of her earnings on hand.

Retracing her steps, she noticed something that, in her rush, she hadn't noticed before. There was a young man slouched against the wall, and for a moment she thought he might have been hurt. However, upon closer inspection, she discovered that he was only asleep.

Just the thought of someone sleeping out there in the cold was appalling, and she had to stop herself from gaping in order to decide whether she should wake him or not.

'_What if he isn't asleep? What if he really is hurt, and has been knocked out? What if he's sick and dying? I can't just leave him here…'_

Brows knit together in concern, Misao reached out hesitantly, grabbed his shoulder and gave it a light shake. When she received no response, she started shaking harder.

Still nothing.

'_Either this guy is a heavy sleeper or he really has been knocked out…'_

Grabbing both of his shoulders this time, Misao gave him another hard shake. "Wake up, you! Hello?"

She was just about to assume him dead, when violet-blue eyes blinked open and considered her groggily. Misao could only stare at him for a moment, bewildered, before he blinked again and smiled.

He _smiled_.

"Hello!" he greeted cheerfully, as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. As if he had _not_ just been konked out in the snow, collecting ice and frost.

Misao just stared.

* * *

_I hate leaving it at this, but I must!_

_Until next time…_


End file.
